Bonesmith
Nicki Pau Preto
Bonesmith
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Nicki Pau Preto
The text is written at a 8th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Here's a secret: Wren was supposed to be a ghost-fighting hero, but she didn’t quite make the cut. Now, she’s heading into the eerie Breach—a haunted wasteland—to save a prince who’s been kidnapped by someone she never imagined working with. But that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This fantasy novel follows Wren, a seventeen-year-old who struggles with her identity as a failed warrior, as she embarks on a dangerous quest to rescue a kidnapped prince. The story contains dark fantasy elements and themes of trust, redemption, and bravery, suitable for teens aged 13 to 18. Parents should be aware of intense fantasy violence and mature themes typical of the genre.
Why we rated Bonesmith 12ME
Bonesmith is written at a Level 8 reading level across 464 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Bonesmith works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate Bonesmith as 12ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Bonesmith explores fantasy, adventure, coming of age, friendship, and dark fantasy — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about fantasy, adventure, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781665910590
- Pages
- 464
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2023
- Type
- Fiction